William h



(No Model.)

W. H. VHANNA'N.

THILL GOUPLING.

No. 341,235. Patented May 4, 1886.

id m6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. HANNAN, OF PALERMO, NEYV YORK.

THILL-COQUPLING.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,235, dated May 4, 1886.

(No model.)

and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of thillcouplings in which the hinge-pin is integral with the thill-iron, and the draft-eye has a section thereof hinged, to permit of introducing the hinge-pin into the draft-eye; and the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side view of my improved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof. Figs. 8 and at are side views of the draft-eye, shown in its closed and open positions. Fig. 5 is a detached plan View of the portion of the thilliron which is formed with the hinge-pin. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the thill-coupling. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on line 00 m, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detached plan view of the wire cams and parts connected therewith; and Fig. 9 is a detached plan view of the bail, which is connected with the aforesaid cams and locks the hinged portion of the draft-eye in its closed position.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

C represents the usual clip, which is fast ened to the forward axle and adapted for the attachment of the thill. This attachment I form as follows: Either the clip 0 or clip-bar G,'I form with a forward-projecting shank, e, which terminates in the draft-eye, composed of a rigid lower half, I), and a movable upper half, I), hinged to the forward portion of the lower half, and formed with a rearward projection, c, which is somewhat indented on its top. The shank e is provided on its under side with a rigid perforated lug, r, in which I pivot two cams, d d, arranged at opposite sides of the said lug. These cams I form of a single piece of wire bent at the center into the shape of a loop, t, and bent at the ends ofsaid loop into coils d d, and having the extremities Z Z bent toward and in line with each other, as illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the extremities] Z being inserted into the perforated lug 1', and constituting the pivot of the cams dd. In the coils or cams (I (Z is hung a bail,f, which reaches up on opposite sides of the shank e and across the top thereof at a sufficient elevation therefrom to allow the said bail to be swung over onto the projection c of the hinged section b of the drafteye when closed, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.

By swinging the loop 'i of the cams (Z (Z forward against the under side of the draft-eye the bail f is drawn down tightly onto the projection c, and the hinged section I) of the draft-eye is thus retained in its locked position, and when in this position the cams d d are slightly forward from their pivot on the lug r, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, and thus the said cams are partly locked in their position, so as to guard against accidental loosening of the hold of the bail f on the projection c.

T represents the thill-iron, which is bifurcated and is formed with a rigid hinge-pin, a, in the bifurcation, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Around this hinge-pin I wrap a bushing, a, of leather or other suitable material, and in coupling the thill to the vehicle I throw down the loop t of the cams d d, and thereby carry the latter rearward and upward, and thus loosen the bail f from the projection 0, so as to allow said bail to be swung back to liberate the hinged section b of the draft-eye.

Said hinged section can then be raised and thrown forward, to allow the hinge-pin a, with its bushing 01, to be introduced into the drafteye, and when thisis accomplished thehinged section I) can be swung back and the bail f thrown forward and across the projection 0. Then by swinging the loop 1? forward and against the under side of the draft eye the thill is securely coupled to the vehicle.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The thill-iron T, formed with thehingepin a and provided with the bushing a, in combination with the draft-eye composed of the fixed lower half, I), and the upper half, I), hinged to the forward portion of the lower IOU half and provided with the rearward projection 0, the cams d d, pivoted 011 the shank e of the draft-eye, and the bail f, connected with said cam and adapted to be placed across the 5 projection c, substantially as described and shown.

2. In combination with the thill iron T, -formed with the hinge -pin a, the clip 0, formed with the shank e, eye-section b, and

I0 perforated lug 1', the eye-section b, hinged to the forward portion of the section b and formed at its rear end with the rearward projection 0, the cams d (1, formed of a single piece of wire bent at its center to the shape of 15 the loop a and bent at the ends of said loop into coils d, and having the extremities Z Z bent toward and in line with each other and inserted into the perforated h1g1, and the bail f, hung on the coils d (I and embracing the O. BENDIXQN,

C. H. DUELL. 

